Big Cinderella

When Olivia was three she was in love with all things Cinderella, so when some friends offered us this child-sized doll we took them up on it. "Big Cinderella" joined our family on Christmas morning, about three weeks before Alexander came along.


She's been a pretty fun toy, especially because her clothes are made to fit children, so Liv could swap outfits with her.


Sometimes though, she's a little creepy. I’ll feel like someone’s watching me and see her out of the corner of my eye, not realizing for a second it’s just Big Cinderella. Or I’ll walk into an empty room after the kids are in bed and she’ll catch me off guard. Like this:


A few days ago the kids were playing Cinderella Ball, and I told Xander to dance with her so I could take their picture.

He is so not going to Prom. Ever.

Snowpocalypse 2010

Here are some pictures taken during and after the huge snowstorm we had this weekend.

Sugar on Snow

A couple of excerpts from "Little House in the Big Woods," by Laura Ingalls Wilder:

"Grandma stood by the brass kettle and with the big wooden spoon she poured hot syrup on each plate of snow. It cooled into soft candy, and as fast as it cooled, they ate it. They could eat all they wanted, for maple sugar never hurt anybody."


"One morning [Ma] boiled molasses and sugar together until they made a thick syrup, and Pa brought in two pans of clean, white snow from outdoors. Laura and Mary each had a pan, and Pa and Ma showed them how to pour the dark syrup in little streams onto the snow. They made circles, and curlicues, and squiggledy things, and these hardened at once and were candy."


I've always wanted to make maple sugar candy, and today while Alexander was napping Olivia and I gave it a try. It was pretty tasty, and especially fun thinking about pioneer children who might not have had any treats other than this.

We boiled 3/4 cup of pure maple syrup and 1/2 T of butter in a pan with a candy thermometer until it was about 240F. Then I poured it on a pan of clean snow. Once on the snow it cooled immediately and we were able to try it. It was a lot of fun to eat, even though it made our teeth stick together.

It's a fun way to spend an afternoon with your kids when you're snowed in by 2' of snow!

Silly Girl

I've been writing down some of the funny things Olivia has said over the past couple of years, and decided to post them here. I'm also including a few of the more interesting outfits she's come up with. I'm not sure which is more amusing!

We asked Olivia what it takes to be a big sister and she told us, "Strong muscles."

Tonight I made spaghetti with sausage for dinner. I asked Liv what her favorite part was and she said, "The sau-shits."

After telling Olivia the reason we have Easter she asked, "Why do we find eggs for Jesus?"


Liv: "I'm putting my tongue-lick in the baby's hair."

When I asked her why she was pulling out her hair:
Liv: "I'm picking flowers for you Mama."
Me: "Um, that is really gross, Please. Stop."
Liv: "Here, smell my hair flowers."

She wanted to know where crocodiles live so I told her in Florida. She looked at me and said, "like Florida, Fauna and Merriweather?"

After she watched a gang drive by on their Harleys, Liv said, "When I get bigger I want to be a motorcycle girl."

Liv (in tears): "If I go to college, who will be my mama?"

Our lesson at church this Sunday was about temples and I asked the kids what they think about when they see the temple. Liv said, "I think about the temple with flowers and a unicorn flying in the sky."

Liv: Do I look like a ballerina sheep?

Liv: When I get bigger I'm going to swing on vines in the jungle.

The other day I took the kids to Target and was trying to explain to my daughter what an air freshener was, since we haven't really had one before. She cut me off and said, "You mean like Air Wick?"
Who says kids don't learn anything from television?

Today I had the kids out shopping with me and had this conversation:
Liv: Mama?
Me: Yes?
Liv: I think someone is at our house right now stealing our jam.
Fortunately when we got home, our jam was safe and sound. You know what kind of shenanigans those jam thieves can get up to.

Liv: Why did God make Barbies?

My daughter has been fretting lately about death (and college). Primarily because she is worried about not living here with me any more. So a few days ago she said: “Mama, when I die I want you to drive me to heaven.”
I told her I would.

The other day Liv made a birthday card for her dad and when she finished I asked her to tell me about it. She told me it was a llama belly and a stripper. (And no, she doesn't know what a stripper is, she made up a word for a bunch of stripes.)

Liv: Mama, who will I marry?
Me: I don’t know sweetie. A nice boy.
Liv: Like Dad is a nice boy?
Me: Yes.
Liv: I need someone to be like a twin to Dad so I can marry him.

Olivia has a strawberry shortcake friend doll called Ginger Snap.
I just noticed that she calls her "Ginger Snatch."

When asked what we could do to think about Jesus more this Christmas Olivia said:
"Daddy could wear white and dress up like him."

Liv: The only way I can rest my eyes is by watching a show when I’m laying down.

Liv: We shouldn't cut things off our body, right?

Liv: "When I drink water it goes into my brain, but chocolate milk goes into my tummy."
(trying to convince me to give her chocolate milk instead of water)

I’ve been trying to explain to Olivia that I work so I can earn money.
The other day she came over to where I was doing some work on my laptop and said, “Can you show me where the money comes out?”

Liv: "When I eat the last bite that means it’s all gone."

I overheard Olivia tell her little brother, "Parents are kind of like servants. They bring you stuff and sometimes do a show for you."

Liv (during breakfast) – What if we were hand eaters?
Me: You mean what if we ate with our hands?
Liv: No, what if we were haaaaaand eaters?
Me: I am not sure what you are talking about.
Liv (sounding exasperated): What if we ATE HANDS?
Me: Well, I think that would hurt.
Liv: Not OUR hands.
Me: Whose hands would we eat?
Liv: Bad guys’ hands. Then they couldn’t hold their guns.